Photo-Restaurant Review: Mercado Brazilian Churrascarria in Seoul

Mercado Brazillian Churrascaria is located in Hakdong near Doosan Park. The closest subway is Gangnam gu-cheong, but it's a bit of a hike so I suggest you take a taxi.

The place is only open from 4:30 to 10:30 everyday (except Sunday) and they are always packed. Reservations are definitely recommended.

The wine list is alright and pretty reasonably priced. My group ordered the Archangel 2007 Shiraz. It was a bit earthy and mossy for me. It needs to breath (maybe for 30 minutes or so), but it still wasn't my favorite to go with the beef. Meh...at least the name and label was cool and this Australian wine didn't have a picture of a damn kangaroo or koala on it.

Here is the main roaster. It literally looks like hell, but it makes meat roast perfectly. The high heat sears the outside in a beefy crust, and the meat inside keeps it's succulent juices. This roaster does heat up the whole restaurant, so I recommend you get a table to the front of the restaurant. We were sitting near the back and I wanted to strip down to my t-shirt and boxers (but I'm too classy for that you know).

The sides that come with the dish are nothing to write home about, but they are sufficient. It's obvious that they are not the main course. I was a fan of their pickles, slaw, and chili bbq sauce. They balance the greasiness of the meat.

There was a large variety of meats including chicken drumsticks. These were darn good. I also liked the chewy texture of the chicken hearts. Oh, and I also recommend the bacon. yes...they have thick pieces of fire roasted bacon.

But you don't go to a Brazilian Churrascaria for the chicken; you go for the meat. Look at how red it is in the inside. The perfect thing about the Brazilian way of cooking is that it cooks the inside rare, but it doesn't have a cool center- but warm. The red, red meat bores a hole into my barbarian hypothalamus. It makes me feel alive. YUM...

They bring the meat to the table on long spears and then the slice off as much as you would like right at your table. I think the servers get a kick of stuffing people with meat because they are always asking if you would like more. I also think that the spear must be heated before they run it through the meat because I would think the juices would leak out, but it doesn't at all.

The best meat in the house is the rump roast or called Picanha. The top layer of fat chars and keeps the meat moist and red. The layer of fat almost totally melts away, so by the time it gets to your table it's like jello- meat jello.

Here is one of the servers slicing a bit of the picanha.

He insisted that I try to slice a piece myself. 

Mercado Restaurant

http://www.mercado.co.kr/index.php

2F Youngjin B/D 95-16 Nonhyun-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Telephone: 02-515-3288

Directions: Line 7 Gangnam District Office Station (강남구청 역) take exit 3 and turn around and walk towards the main intersection and turn left. Walk down 2 blocks or so and turn left at The Coffee Bean. Walk straight and turn right at J's Wine and Paris Baguette. Tom N Tom's is also on that street. Mercado is on your right on the second floor.